The European hiking trail E5 is 3,200 kilometres long and leads from the Atlantic coast of France across the Alps to Venice. A highlight of the entire trail leads through the hiking area of Schenna, via the Hirzer Hut to the Meraner Hut on Meran 2000.
A part of the long-distance hiking trail E5 runs through South Tyrol in four stages, one of them through the Hirzer hiking area. From the Hirzer Hut (1,980 m), which was inaugurated in 1874 as the first Alpine Club hut in South Tyrol, the trail goes uphill, partly with climbing passages, to the Hirzerscharte and from there to the Kratzberger lake at 2,128 m. Along a slope with numerous beautiful views the trail leads to the Meraner Hut at 1,960 m altitude in the sun-soaked skiing and hiking area of Meran 2000.